Skatetown, USA

It doesn’t get much more “high-flying ‘70s camp” than the jaw-dropping cinematic spectacle Skatetown, USA – a crazed teen party flick set within the mirrored madness of a rocking roller disco rink populated by a cast sent from the cheesy movie gods, including Scott Baio, Flip Wilson, Ruth Buzzi, Horshack, Marcia Brady, and in his movie debut, a leather-clad, whip-cracking Patrick Swayze!
Touted as “The Rock and Roller Disco Movie of the Year!,” the epic disco flick Skatetown, USA is a flashy-n-trashy tribute to all that is gloriously ridiculous about the late ‘70s … the kind of movie where yo-yos, rainbow suspenders, tai chi and satin short shorts all appear within the same frame as Earth,Wind and Fire’s “Boogie Wonderland” blares in the background.
Loosely based on a real-life West Hollywood celebrity hangout called ” Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace,” this film focuses on a fierce rivalry between two of L.A.’s hottest skaters: goody goody Stan (blonde teen heartthrob Greg Bradford), and charismatic bad boy Ace Johnson (Patrick Swayze, who naturally performed all of his own skating stunts in the movie). Stan and Ace are both competing in the big Roller Disco Contest, and tensions are running high, as the grand prize is $1,000 … and a moped! Cue the romantic subplots (one featuring Happy Days/ Charles in Charge star Scott Baio looking for love in all the wrong places), wacky slapstick (itching powder!), Love Boat-level celebrity sightings (Hey! Isn’t that Ruth Buzzi? And Billy Barty? And infamous Playboy Playmate Dorothy Stratten? And oh my gosh, isn’t that Maureen McCormick, aka Marsha Brady, AND Ron Palilo, aka Horshack, out there on the dance floor????), and a bizarre game of chicken played with exploding motorized roller skates!
Featuring a hit-packed soundtrack of wall-to-wall disco classics (with hot tunes by Michael Jackson, Cheap Trick, Heat Wave and many more … a music licensing nightmare which has thus far prevented a home video release of the film), and off-the-charts levels of camp craziness, Skatetown, USA is a lost comedy classic that will make you wish is was 1979 all over again! From the director of Blackenstein and The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington! (William Levey, 1979, USA, 98 mins., Rated PG) 35mm